秦昊自曝忘记结婚3周年 伊能静傻了吧唧掐死算了

The history of enslavement has shaped our modern world and still impacts us. This is evident in the pervasive, and sometimes systemic racism, that persists globally especially against Afro-descendants, and that stems from different historic phenomena that used to justify the myth of African "inferiority", including during the Enlightenment Period. 

Moreover, the transatlantic slave trade, while establishing the economic dominance of colonial powers, profoundly disrupted societal structures on the African continent. This phenomenon, linked to the multiplication of colonial slavery-based economies in the past centuries, complicates efforts towards peaceful development. If we are to build a more inclusive world, we need to understand and take into account  the weight of this legacy. 

The history of enslavement is also one of resistance and creation. Through resistance, enslaved peoples affirmed the universality of human rights. Against all odds, they developed an artistic heritage and agricultural and technological knowledge, from rice cultivation to the mastering of iron, that bear witness to an extraordinary capacity for resilience.

The history and impact of enslavement, some of the salient aspects of which are presented in this issue of the Courier, have been analyzed by UNESCO’s Routes of Enslaved Peoples programme (referred to as the Slave Route project until 2022) since its creation in 1994 at the initiative of Benin and Haiti. UNESCO’s advocacy led to the United Nations’ acknowledgment of the transatlantic slave trade and enslavement as a crime against humanity in 2001. The establishment by UNESCO of an International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition (23 August) also pays tribute to enslaved peoples, honoring their legacies.

The programme has enabled us to highlight this heritage, and to raise the question of trauma and memory when implementing inclusion policies. Through the UNESCO Network of Places of History and Memory Linked to Enslavement and the Slave Trade, the programme also promotes research and contributes to the development of sustainable ecotourism through the cooperation of cities whose history is linked to enslavement.

As we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the Routes of Enslaved Peoples programme in 2024, we must mobilize to increase awareness of this history and measure its weight and repercussions in today's representations and reality. This will help build more inclusive societies that are fairer and more respectful of rights. 

 

Gabriela Ramos 
Assistant Director-General of UNESCO for Social and Human Sciences